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Primary Resource

Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Giovanni Fabbroni (June 8, 1778)

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In a letter dated June 8, 1778, Thomas Jefferson complains to Giovanni Fabbroni,
an Italian naturalist and economist, about the state of music in Virginia. He also encloses a table of British soldiers killed, wounded,
and captured thus far in the American Revolution (1775–1783).

Transcription from Original

Williamsburgh in Virginia June 8. 1778

Sir

Your letter of Sep. 15. 1776 from Paris came safe to hand. We have not however had
the pleasure of seeing Mr. De Crenis, the bearer of it in this country, as he joined
the army in Pennsylvania as soon as he arrived. I should have taken particular
pleasure in serving him on your recommendation. From the kind anxiety expressed in
your letters as well as from other sources of information we discover that our
enemies have filled Europe with Thrasonic accounts of victories they had never won
and conquests they were fated never to make. While these accounts alarmed our friends
in Europe they afforded us diversion. We have long been out of all fear for the event
of the war. I inclose you a list of the killed, wounded, and captives of the enemy
from the Commencement of hostilities at Lexington in April 1775, till November 1777.
since which there has been no event of any consequence. This is the best history of
the war which can be brought within the compass of a letter. I believe the account to
be near the truth, tho' it is difficult to get at the numbers lost by an enemy
with absolute precision. Many of the articles have been communicated to us from
England as taken from the official returns made by their General. I wish it were in
my power to send you as just an account of our [losses] but this cannot be done
without an application to the war office which being in another country is at this
time out of my reach. I think that upon the whole it has been about one half the
number lost by them. In some instances more, but in others less. This difference is
ascribed to our superiority in taking aim when we fire; every soldier in our army
having been intimate with his gun from his infancy. If there could have been a doubt
before as to the event of the war, it is now totally removed by the interposition of
France; and the generous alliance she has entered into with us.

Tho' much of my time is employed in the councils of America I have yet a little
leisure to indulge my fondness for philosophical studies. I could wish to correspond
with you on subjects of that kind. It might not be unacceptable to you to be informed
for instance of the true power of our climate as discoverable from the Thermometer,
from the force and direction of the winds, the quantity of rain, the plants which
grow without shelter in the winter &c. On the other hand we should be much
pleased with cotemporary observations on the same particulars in your country, which
will give us a comparative view of the two climates. Farenheit's thermometer is
the only one in use with us. I make my daily observations as early as possible in the
morning and again about 4. o'clock in the afternoon,

— page 2 —

these generally showing the
maxima of cold and heat in the course of 24 hours. I wish I could gratify your
Botanical taste; but I am acquainted with nothing more than the first principles of
that science, yet myself and my friends may furnish you with any Botanical subjects
which this country affords, and are not to be had with you: and I shall take pleasure
in procuring them when pointed out by you. The greatest difficulty will be the means
of conveyance during the continuance of the war.

If there is a gratification which I envy any people in this world it is to your
country its music. This is the favorite passion of my soul, and fortune has cast my
lot in a country where it is in a state of deplorable barbarism. From the [line] of
life in which we conjecture you to be, I have for some time lost the hope of seeing
you here. Should the event prove so, I shall ask your assistance in procuring a
substitute who may be a proficient in singing and on the harpsichord. I should be
contented to receive such an one two or three years hence, when it is hoped he may
come more safely, and find here a greater plenty of those useful things which
commerce alone can furnish. The bounds of an American fortune will not admit the
indulgence of a domestic band of musicians. Yet I have thought that a passion for
music might be reconciled with that oeconomy which we are obliged to observe. I
retain for instance among my domestic servants a gardener (Ortolano), weaver
(Tessitore di lino e lan[a),] a cabinet maker (Stipettaio) and a stonecutter
(scalpellino lavorante in piano) to which I would add a Vigneron. In a country where,
like yours, music is cultivated and practised by every class of men I suppose there
might be found persons of those trades who could perform on the French horn, clarinet
or hautboy and bassoon, so that one might have a band of two French horns, two
clarinets and hautboys and a bassoon, without enlarging their domest[ic] expences. A
certainty of employment for a half dozen years, and at [the] end of that time to find
them if they chose it a conveyance to their own country might induce [them] to come
here on reasonable wages. Without meaning to give you trouble, perhaps it mig[ht] be
practicable for you in your ordinary intercourse with your pe[ople] to find out such
men disposed to come to America. Sobriety and good nature would be desireable parts
of their characters. If you think such a plan practicable, and will be so kind as to
inform me what will be necessary to be done on my part, I will take care that it
shall be done. The necessary expences, when informed of them, I can remit before they
are wanting, to any port in France with which country alone we have safe
correspondence.

I am Sir with much esteem your humble servt., T. J.

Enclosure

Number of the Killed, Wounded, and Captives of the British Army in the Course of the
American War.